Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Gillard sworn in as Australian PM

Updated at 8:59 pm on 14 September 2010

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and her new-look frontbench have been officially sworn in.

The incoming ministers have waited over three weeks since the election to take up their new posts while Labor negotiated to form a minority government and were sworn in by Governor-General Quentin Bryce in Canberra on Tuesday.

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd was among those sworn in and will soon leave for the United States as Foreign Minister to hold talks in Washington and New York, the ABC reports.

The Opposition has criticised Mr Rudd's appointment as well as the rewarding of factional leaders who were instrumental in removing him as prime minister.

Bill Shorten is now Assistant Treasurer, while David Feeney and Don Farrell have been made parliamentary secretaries.

Ms Gillard was forced to reinstate Warren Snowden as the Minister for Indigenous Health after she was criticised for axing the position.

The Cabinet is likely to meet soon ahead of Parliament's first sitting day since June on 28 September.

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